North Carolina to Ban Four Loko

Four Loko is causing all kinds of problems across the country lately. The combination of caffeine, taurine, gaurana and 12% (lower in some states) alcoholic beverage has caused multiple blackouts and college campuses across the country are starting to ban it.

The latest in the string of bans comes from North Carolina governor Beverly Purdue who wants retailers of the beverage to voluntarily pull Four Loko from their shelves. The cans (seen above) are clearly marked with warning labels but the governor doesn’t think this is enough. I’m quite sure that your typical Red Bull and Vodka packs as much punch as a Four Loko, but then again you can’t buy one of those at your local 7-11 with a cheap fake ID.

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Someone on WRAL’s comment pages had a good idea (shocking I know). Drinks like this should just be moved to ABC Stores. The State gets the tax money and we can still get the drinks if we’re so inclined.

I believe the government should step up its efforts in regulating such dangerous products, and I applaud NC for doing so. Vendors are selling all manner of food and drink that causes harm, and it’s about time we put a stop to things like alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, high fructose corn syrup, fat, high calorie foods, happy meals, and cupcakes. People will destroy themselves if not for the graciousness of government regulation.

Its not the drink, its the amount being consumed. I could get the same result if I drank a case of beer, doesn’t mean I do. When people drink multiple four lokos in one night, of course there are going to be serious repercussions, but there are with any type of alcohol. Each for Loko is approximately the same alcohol content as a bottle of wine, but people don’t typically try to drink 3 bottles of wine in one night.

Four Loko is the gateway beverage for the government to start banning alcohol all together. Starts with a few cases of teenagers being stupid (because alcohol has never ever been an issue with under-aged drinkers before Four Loko…please). Just like weed back in the day, few people do something stupid and mess up a good thing. Is already happening with our guns (ammunition regulation, regardless of who you are) and our vehicles (eco-friendy features mandatory on new models). Welcome Pre-Communism. For those who support this banning of beverages like Four Loko, it is only the beginning. Don’t run out of ink signing away your rights!

By the way casual observer…happy meals and cupcakes are only bad if you eat too many, as is Four Loko. The governemt should not be relied on for people to make decisions for themselves. If they want to die from heart disease from stuffing their face with Big Macs, that’s none of your, or the government’s business. People like you, supporting ideas like that are why communism exists. What ever happened to pro-choice….everyone is a drone, raised on governemt will take care of us this and governemt will take care of us that. They do not care about us, they offer protection and for that people become their bitch. Was that the intent of the founding fathers of the America? I believe government oppression and regulations are why the U.S. left Great Britan in the first place….

The problem with four loko is the caffeine and stimulants. For unexperienced drinkers (read underage) they don’t stop where they would have if they had been drinking a bottle of wine, or a 6 pack of beer, because the stimulants cover the usual effects of drunkenness. So, it is a new issue for underage drinking. Used to be a kid could get a hold of a 6 pack, but would likely get tired and fall asleep before he could cause any real harm. Now kids drink three of these and they’re all jacked up on caffeine, and thus not realizing how drunk they are. I think it’s a great idea to move them to the ABC store where a fake ID is much less likely to pass.

^ I agree with M. The alcohol is nothing new, and neither is caffeine. What the deal is this one drink somehow gets sold in regular convenience stores and not ABC because the alcohol content is just under the limit to do so. However, that limit doesn’t regulate the caffeine…so this product got a free pass, even though its combo is more dangerous than most higher alcohol drinks.

Bev will regret the day her ban on 4Loco goes through. Studies have shown that it is potent enough to cure cancer, mend broken bones and alleviate arthritis. Too bad conservative america is blind to these facts… next thing you know they’ll make marijuana illegal… hahaha

I tried the green and the blue this weekend at the NCSU-Wake game. Its pretty tasty for something that is the equivalent to a 6 pack and 2 red bulls! I think I may pick up a couple cases before they ban them all together and sell them Boardwalk Empire style. It did create a strange burning sensation in my belly for about 30min though.

The effects of Four Loko are much more dangerous than anything I’ve tried. I am 25 years old and I’m a fairly regular drinker. I drink 3 or 4 times a week and usually drink about 5 or 6 7% beers in a sitting. I have also had Redbull and Vodka on occasion and Sparks. I decided to try Four Loko (twice) because I thought all these college kids couldn’t handle their alcohol. I’m usually a pretty calm drinker, I never really get into any trouble. Four Loko had me knocking on my apartment neighbors doors at 4 AM trying to get anyone to come hang out with me and my roommate. I was also running through the parking lot yelling, “Who wants to party?”. This type of behavior usually disgusts me, but I couldn’t help myself. It scares me that I see pictures of 19 year old girls in college drinking this stuff. It’s not to be taken lightly. I’m all for drinking, but this stuff HAS to go.

L - what else would you have our college students and young adults purchasing???? if you’re ok with this evil substance being perfectly legal to buy, then what next? would I be able to buy MARIJUANA if you had your way? would I be able to prepare food in a NYC restaurant using unsatured fats? WOULD WOULD HAVE PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND SMOKING THEMSELVES TO DEATH IN YOUR WORLD? You can thank your congressman and legislators for taking care of these things because clearly, you would allow people to do whatever they wish, and that should scare all of us.

In August of this year a friend of mine in Florida was drinking Four loko and had a heart attack. She stopped breathing for 16 minutes before being put on life support. She was in a coma for 4 days until they pulled the plug, and we lost her immediately after. When the docotors ran test it showed the only thing in her system was four loko and a dietary supplement. We’ve started a petition and everything hoping for them to get banned. Please ban “liquid cocaine”

Hey Casual Street Observer.
Where have you been the past 6 years I have been looking for you ?
You can find me.
I am the over stressed guy whom can’t make the connection with you.
The code word we can use is,
“
Hey , I need weed so bad right about now in this day and time that
I am begging you to sell me dirt”

The drink itself isn’t the cause of the blackouts and hospitalizations! People who drink 2 or 3 of them and smoke weed, take adderall, or anything else is what’s doing it. People know after they finish drinking ONE they should stop. You can feel it. No ones making themselves drink more than that. Why don’t you just ban monsters or red bulls? If we drink enough of those, our heart will likely explode. But no, we know better than to drink 10 red bulls in a short amount of time. There are SO MANY idiots out there who don’t know and don’t care to know their limits. Anyone can drink a ton of ANY alcohol in one night and black out. ITS A TREND. One state bans them because idiots don’t know when to stop or know not to mix it with any other drugs, so other states do. Pisses me off. ANY ALCOHOL IS BAD FOR YOU. Point blank. It causes death, disease, and injuries. If you want to avoid any of that, don’t drink.

If you actually look at the details given in the news reports the kids experiencing the blackouts are MIXING the four lokos with VODKA and even smoking weed while drinking it. If you are a responsible individual and just drink the four loko by itself there is no blackout. People need to grow up and stop ruining everything for the responsible ones.

all of this can be solved through more and better law enforcement, which can only be achieved by raising tax rates and diverting those funds to police, sheriff, DEA, ICE, ALE and all of the other useful anti-drug staff in our government. Please join me in calling for higher personal income tax rates so our elected officials can prevent our society from drinking itself to death on this poison.

It all comes down to personal responsibilty and knowing your own limits. Banning the drinks won’t fix the problem. The ‘kids’ who are drinking them in excess while engaging in other ‘bad’ behaviors like smoking pot, taking Rx drugs are really no different than the well respected plastic surgeon who is out cheating on his wife, drinking in excess and getting behind the wheel of his car. They know the consequences. If you want something bad enough, you will find a way to get it. If something feels good, you want to do it. How is having a BAC of 0.8 ok? Being a little drunk is better than being super drunk. Why not have a ZERO tolerance policy? What about the guys who sit around and watch porn and exploit children? We better get rid of ALL computers so that nobody will be tempted. Like “L” said, it’s a slippery slope that would end in communism.

I work in healthcare and see first hand how people keep repeating behaviors that they know are going to kill them. It’s their choice. It’s not my place to control them, I can only educate and hope they make the right decision.

I take care of patients who have lung/throat cancer but still smoke while hooked up to their oxygen tank! Patients with end stage renal failure who are hooked up to a dialysis machine three times a week, but the minute they finish treatment they head staright to Bojangles for lunch. We can’t refuse to treat them because they make bad choices. I can’t look at the mother of an overweight toddler and tell her to stop taking her kid to McDonalds. I can’t refuse to give the drug addict morphine for his pain. Are there days I would love to look at these people and say “What the f**k, you made your choice, now suffer the consequences”, absolutely, but I can’t. It’s THEIR choice.

Wouldn’t it be great to tell the women on welfare that they won’t get their next check unless they come in for their depoprovera shot or have their tubes tied? Wouldn’t it be great to have mandatory drug testing for everyone who gets any kind of gov’t money like welfare? Why should the guy on welfare get to drive down to the local bar in his new lexus while I bust my ass at work all day?

I think that sounds like a much better idea than banning the Four LoKo.

rdugirl is mostly right. I agree about people making choices and actually embracing some personal responsibility (way too little of that in our society now).

Banning the drinks won’t SOLVE the problem of kids getting plastered, taking drugs, whatever. What I think it would likely do is REDUCE the problem. I was in college when Red Bull and vodkas became the rage, and remember the headlines back then. There was concern about those, but I drank them, because they were easy to get, fun, whatever else. Four Loko sounds like another step up in the dangerous game. If it’s marketed to underage college kids, they’ll drink it (whether smart or not). If it’s not legal, a whole lot fewer will drink it. It’ll be back to the Natty Ice.

I don’t agree about the communism garbage, either. It’s part of the government’s responsibility to protect its citizens. I don’t think this gets us one step farther down the slippery slope.

“Wouldn’t it be great to tell the women on welfare that they won’t get their next check unless they come in for their depoprovera shot or have their tubes tied? Wouldn’t it be great to have mandatory drug testing for everyone who gets any kind of gov’t money like welfare? Why should the guy on welfare get to drive down to the local bar in his new lexus while I bust my ass at work all day? “

So long as you also report for drug testing in order to drive on publicly funded streets, or military contractors report for the same. Your comment is disgusting

The gov has the responsibility of controlling dangerous substances. If it poses a risk they should control. If you just think that people should allow to make their own choice- good or bad- that is wrong. That thinking would also require you to get rid of all laws because no one would commit an immoral or socially irresponsible act own their own- would they?

I don’t get it…don’t we have bigger problems than banning drinks? WTF! why don’t they just go ahead and ban liquor? Pretty sure thats dangerous to! I mean people are still going to drink lol…why don’t they worry about getting people jobs instead of what people choose to drink. And theres still red bull and jager.

Dear John..why so quick to lash out? What I was saying is that those who get welfare should be held to some level of accountability. Why should a person who can’t afford or provide for the children that they have be allowed to keep having more?? If you need help and are REALLY trying to get your life in order, then fine, I am more than happy to help you as is the gov’t. But, if you want to sit on your ass, smoke/drink and keep pushing out kids while doing NOTHING to make a better life for you and your family, why should those of us who work hard have to keep paying your tab??

I do agree with 150 that the gov’t has a responsibility to protect the citizens, but there can be a fine line between protecting and controlling, which is what I think “L” was saying in his post.

Like I said, legal or not, if someone wants it bad enough they are going to find a way to get it. We can simplify it down to eating to many KK donuts, or drinking to much Four Loko, but it still boils down to personal responsibility, morals and values.

Why is it that some NR posters are so quick to lash out at those of us who post our opinions? If I were a betting woman, I’d say my opinion hit a little to close to where John lives, and probably parks his lexus.

This ban is ridiculous….They can ban Four Loko, but all the company is going to do is remove the caffeine. That will get them around this and then all I have to do is buy a caffeine free Four Loko and a Red Bull, go home and get a tall glass and mix the 2.

The FDA can try to ban what ever they want, but the fact of the matter is that when people want something, then they will make it happen.

I don’t even drink Four Loko, but just to make a point I would make my own.

If people weren’t so stupid and actually read the can, Four Loko wouldn’t be a problem. This ban is stupid. I blame it on all the idiots who are irresponsible drinkers. You shouldn’t punish everyone for all of the idiots decisions. I drink these all of the time and I’m smart enough to know only to drink one, because that’s all it takes with Lokos. Kids these days have no common sense. You can ban these, but kids will just find another reason to be hospitalized.

Its a shame, and it looks like i’m going to start making alcohol in my basement, well with our rights being stripped away and all what is one to do?? I think its amazing, go ahead take the drinks away, the kids will GO RIGHT BACK TO MAKING HOOCH IN A BATH TUB WITH EVERCLEAR, AND COOL-AID. Talk about drunk times… Anyone notice other freedoms going out the door?? Dark times are ahead…

Seriously.. I can drink up to 3 4 Loko’s at once and be perfectly fine.. If you can’t handle the drink then don’t drink it. It is clearly labeled with warnings. If a college student drunks 38 beers or a half gallon of liquor I’m pretty sure they’d black out. 4 Loko is not the problem here!

This feels like a symbolic historical gesture. The Gov should make an official “Prohibition Remembrance Day”. We’ll have bootleg-runner soapbox derby races down Dix Hill, drink shine, and let Bev ban a trendy over-the-top alcoholic beverage of her choice. We’ll even let elementary school children submit their votes for which alcoholic beverage it should be. How adorable!

I don’t see what all the fuss about about FourLoko. I had no many last night and working on my 2nd right now (I called in sick his morning - YAY! MOF, I think functiion better with FourLoko because I wont need so much sleep and do more stuff when ever one else is seeping.Please Gov. Purdue, don;t band FourLoko!!!

I think NC shouldn’t ban four loko, those black outs happen daily with anyone who chooses to drink any kind of alochol. It is THEIR choice, the government shouldn’t have any regulation on these products. Cigarettes, illegal drugs sure, that’s their territory. But what is this, prohibition again? I think it is RIDICULOUS for them to ban drinks because they can be dangerous in certain circumstances, but so can any alcohol. People don’t drink it expecting nothing to happen, people drink it to have the effects it is supposed to have. Its not mystery in a can or anything, for people who have had it and didn’t enjoy it, there’s an easy answer….DON’T DRINK IT AGAIN. Not having the government take it away from people who do enjoy it. For those of you who believe the government should have the right to regulate unhealthy food and drinks, you are ridiculous. If YOU want to be healthy, be healthy don’t punish others because your so up-tight and want everyone to follow your foot-steps, not everyone wants to be like that, regardless of what you think.

But what about the epidemic of that plagues millions of female college students every year. Yes, the freshmen 15. I will get on board with the ban of caffeine when papa johns stops delivering to the dorms.